Smoke purifier



Nov. 13, 1962 W. M. IRVIN SMOKE PURIFIER Filed Nov. 21, 1960 INVENTOR BYQEPM ATTORNEY United States This invention relates in general to new anduseful improvements in attachments for furnaces, and more particularlyto a novel smoke purifier particularly suitable for use in purifyingsmoke from furnaces.

The present invention is directed to the general problem of removingsoot and fly ash in smoke from coal furnaces, and reducing the amountsof S S0 and CO in the smoke from coal, gas and oil furnaces to renderthe smoke from these furnaces less objectionable. Through removal of thesoot, fly ash, and the aforementioned gases, contamination of the airand resultant smog is greatly reduced. While this problem has been longrecognized, and many solutions proposed, the latter have had manyshortcomings such as being relatively inefficient, complex, costly toconstruct, or costly to operate. it was a recognition of this situationwhich led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly among the objects of the present invention is the provisionof an apparatus for purifying furnace smoke through the use of a specialform of washing apparatus, and a primary object of this invention is toprovide a novel bath arrangement to assure a maximum amount of scrubbingaction on smoke passing through the bath.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel washing apparatusfor purifying smoke, the washing apparatus including a water baththrough which the smoke is first passed, and a Water curtain throughwhich the smoke is further passed to assure a maximum smokepurification.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel smokepurifying apparatus which includes a water bath, means for directingsmoke into the water bath beneath the Water level of same, and adeflector for preventing the direct upward flow of smoke through thewater bath and at the same time effecting a reversal of flow of smokethrough the water bath to bring about a maximum trapping of solidscarried by the smoke with resultant maximum purification of the smokebefore same is delivered into the atmosphere.

A further object of the invention is to provide smoke conveying meansfor forcibly moving smoke through a smoke purifier, the smoke conveyingmeans in one form including a jet type pump wherein air is directedunder pressure into a venturi in a smoke pipe to precool and force thesmoke through the smoke pipe without the hot and harmful smoke firstpassing through a fan or like smoke pumping apparatus.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out theinvention, such means illustrating, however, but several of the variousways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a furnace and chimney arrangementwherein a smoke purifier is incorporated in the smoke pipe leading fromthe furnace to the chimney with the smoke purifier beingdiagrammatically shown in section and the details thereof spread apartand generally illustrated.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 1 atent the surface ofthe wash water in the latter.

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and incorporating a modified means for forcing smoke through the smokepurifier.

Reference is now made to the drawing wherein two smoke purifying systemsin accordance with the present invention are illustrated. The smokepurifying system of FIGURE 1 is used in conjunction with a furnace 3,and located between the furnace 3 and a chimney 4. A smoke pipe 5extends from the furnace 3 to a fan or blower 6. The blower 6 is mountedon a pedestal or base 7 and is driven by any suitable power unit withthe one illustrated being in the form of an electric motor 8 also seatedon base 7. Drive shaft 9 couples the blower 6 to the armature shaft 10of the electric motor 8 by a conventional coupling 11.

A smoke supply pipe 12. extends from the outlet of the blower 6 to thesmoke purifier, which is generally referred to by the numeral 13. Thesmoke purifier 13 includes a closed casing 14 which may be seated on asuitable base or supported by legs 15, as is shown in FIGURE 1. Thesmoke delivery pipe 16 is an extension of smoke supply pipe 12 andextends into casing 14 with its outlet below The thus water purifiedsmoke then passes from the casing 14 through outlet 19 which deliverssame to chimney 4.

A constant water level is maintained within the casing 14 to provide awater bath 17. To accomplish this, water is constantly delivered to thecasing 14 and the level of the water is maintained within the casing 14by an overflow pipe 18 which is connected in any suitable manner (notshown) to a waste water receiver.

The smoke is delivered through supply pipe 12 into the casing 14 andreleased below the surface of the water bath 17 through the smokedelivery pipe 16. In order to assure a maximum scrubbing or washingaction on tthe smoke, the end of the smoke delivery pipe 16 terminateswithin the casing 14 in a relatively thin flattened outlet,

' thus causing the releasing of smoke within the water bath same.

17 to be in a relatively wide but thin stream. This out? let of deliverypipe 16 may be substantially fiat, but preferably the upper edge of sameis wavy, or longitudinally grooved, so that the smoke issues from samein small streams which facilitate forming small bubbles which aid inwashing the smoke, and it is intended that the drawing be considered asdiagrammatically illustrating these various constructions.

The smoke released within the casing 14 has a tendency to immediatelyflow upwardly through the water bath 17 taking the shortest path out ofsame, and thereby receiving a minimum treatment. In accordance with thepresent invention, the direct upward movement of the smoke through thewater bath 17 is prevented by a shelf or deflec tor 20 extendingentirely across the casing 14 within the water bath 17 and in the pathof the smoke moving upwardly from outlet 16. The shelf or deflector 26is preferably just below the top of the water in casing 14, and thesmoke outlet 16 is spaced a short distance below said shelf. The nearerthe surface of the water level in casing 14 is to the level of the smokeoutlet 16, the less the back pressure which the smoke pump has to workagainst and the less power is required. It must be recognized, however,that there should be enough space between shelf 20 and smoke outlet 16to allow the smoke to freely flow under said shelf to the point ofdischarge from in under As the upwardly moving smoke impinges againstthe underside of the deflector 26, its direction of flow is reversed,and the smoke flows backward until it gets out from in under deflector20 of the casing 14 and then it flows upwardly out of the water bath 17,as indicated by the arrows. In this manner the heavier particles in thesmoke, such as soot and fly ash, resist reversal and thus impinge thewater bath 17 and are trapped, while the smoke is forced to take a longpath through the water bath 17 so that gaseous impurities such as S S0and CO are at least partially absorbed in the water, and a maximumpurifying operation on the smoke is effected. Deflector 20 may berelatively horizontal or even slightly angled upward at its smokerelease end to facilitate smoke flow, and the under face of saiddeflector may be relatively smooth if desired, though a cross corrugatedunder face will make the smoke ripple in its flow and receive a betterscrubbing action, and it is intended that the showing be considered asdiagrammatically illustrating same. The smoke outlet pipe 19 is at ahigher elevation than the deflector 23 and receives the smoke which haspassed through the water bath 17 into the upper portion of casing 14.The casing 14 has an upper water inlet pipe 21 overlying the deflector20 and delivers water into the casing 14, in the path of smoke flowingto the smoke outlet pipe 19, in the form of a sprayed water curtain 22,which further cleanses or purifies the smoke.

The gases absorbed by the wash water of the water bath 17 are removed asthe water overflows out of the casing 14. On the other hand, wfiy ashand other solids removed within the casing 14 settle down to the bottomof the casing and are removed by periodically draining the casing 14through a drain 23' in the bottom of same and which drain is controlledby a valve 24.

In FIGURE 2, a modified form of smoke purifying system, generallyreferred to by the numeral 25, is shown. In this system a smoke pipe 26extends from the furnace 3 and is provided with a venturi chamber 27.Smoke is drawn from the furnace 3 through the venturi chamber 27 bymeans of the introduction of fresh air into the venturi chamber at ahigh linear speed through a nozzle 28 mounted in the venturi chamber 27and directed toward the smoke purifier. A pipe 29 is connected to thenozzle 28 in the venturi chamber 27 and receives air from a blower 30.The blower 30 is mounted on a base 31 and has a drive shaft 32 which iscoupled to an armature shaft 33 of an electric motor 34 by a coupling35. The electric motor 34 is also mounted on the base 31.

The venturi chamber 27 is coupled to a smoke supply pipe 26 whichcorresponds to the smoke supply pipe 12, FIGURE 1, and delivers thesmoke, which has been diluted through the introduction of air thereinto,through supply pipe 36 into the casing 14 of the smoke purifier 25. Thesmoke is then cleansed or purified in the manner described with respectto the smoke purifying system of FIGURE 1. The casing 14 is'shown asbeing in a lowered position in FIGURE 2 as compared to the position ofFIGURE 1. This is primarily due to the fact that smoke is brought inthrough the top of the casing 14 in FIGURE 2 whereas it is brought inthrough an end of the casing 14 in FIGURE 1. It is to be understood thatthese arrangements are merely ones of convenience and can beinterchanged if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that a novel smokepurifier has been developed utilizing the wash water principle through anovel control of the flow of the smoke to assure its proper flow throughthe wash water to obtain a maximum washing or cleansing action. However,attention is directed to the fact that variations may be made in theparticular apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention, as set forth above and shown in the drawing.It is also to be noted that directional terms such as upwardly,overlies, top, end, et cetera, have been used to describe the inventionin the general position shown in the drawing, but that such terms arenot to be considered as limiting the present invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of those explained, change being made as regards the smokepurifying apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by anyof the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A smoke purifying attachment for treating and purifying smoke fromfurnaces and the like, said attachment comprising a casing including aliquid bath in the lower portion thereof, a smoke supply pipe connectedto said casing and including a terminal discharge portion immersedbeneath the surface of said liquid bath and directed toward one side ofsaid casing, a smoke discharge pipe communicating with said casing abovethe surface of said liquid bath horizontally at the side of said casingtoward which said terminal discharge portion is directed, a horizontaldeflector plate secured on said casing beneath the surface of saidliquid and said smoke discharge pipe, and extending over said terminaldischarge portion, said plate having a free edge spaced rearwardly ofsaid terminal discharge portion and forming a shelf thereover anddefining a tortuous path beneath said liquid through which dischargedsmoke must travel whereby the normal direction of smoke travel from saiddischarge portion is reversed beneath the surface of the liquid andsmoke is absorbed in the liquid and material is precipitated beneath thesurface of the liquid prior to smoke discharge, said terminal dischargeportion comprising a wide, flattened, substantially horizontallydisposed opening for directing smoke beneath said shelf as a wide thinstream, liquid curtain spray means secured on said casing downstream ofsaid discharge pipe and directed transversely of the horizontal path oftravel of smoke from said casing into said smoke discharge pipe, and ablower communicating with said smoke supply pipe exteriorly of saidcasing for delivering smoke under pressure to said casing and beneathsaid liquid bath.

2. The attachment of claim 1 including pipe means connected to saidsmoke supply pipe for forcing smoke therethrough and into said casing,said smoke pipe including a venturi portion, and said blower connectedwith said pipe means for directing air under pressure through said venturi portion to effect smoke movement and smoke dilution with air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS980,257 Heslewood Jan. 3, 1911 1,096,501 Foster May 12, 1914 1,252,731Stewart Ian. 8, 1918 1,939,949 Bertram Dec. 19, 1933 2,070,578 BowmanFeb. 16, 1937 2,721,064 Reichardt Oct. 18, 1955 2,826,397 Lofgren et alMar. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 338,596 France Mar. 31, 1904

